Suspension clunk

[Matraman]

I've been road testing my 2.2 for 4 months now. I rebuilt the engine, replaced and refurbished the whole brake system, exhaust system, left trailing arm and cooling system over last winter. After sorting out several teething problems I'm now able to think about less urgent issues like a clunk from the suspension over sharp pothole type bumps. I can't tell if it's front or back for sure, but probably rear suspension. It has new anti-roll bar drop links front and rear, plus new anti-roll bar bushes at the front and new anti-rattle springs in the brake calipers. The noise isn't a rattle though, it's a deeper sounding noise which transmits through the body of the car more.

My question is: allowing for the above, what would be the first places to check for a clunking noise over sharp bumps? Bushes at the top of the rear struts? Bottom bushes look OK but they're old. Rear anti-roll bar bushes look OK, but also old. At the front, do the top and bottom ball joints cause such a clunk? They did pass the MOT in June however. What about the other front suspension bushes?

[roy4matra]

I've been road testing my 2.2 for 4 months now. I rebuilt the engine, replaced and refurbished the whole brake system, exhaust system, left trailing arm and cooling system over last winter. After sorting out several teething problems I'm now able to think about less urgent issues like a clunk from the suspension over sharp pothole type bumps. I can't tell if it's front or back for sure, but probably rear suspension. It has new anti-roll bar drop links front and rear, plus new anti-roll bar bushes at the front and new anti-rattle springs in the brake calipers. The noise isn't a rattle though, it's a deeper sounding noise which transmits through the body of the car more.

My question is: allowing for the above, what would be the first places to check for a clunking noise over sharp bumps? Bushes at the top of the rear struts? Bottom bushes look OK but they're old. Rear anti-roll bar bushes look OK, but also old. At the front, do the top and bottom ball joints cause such a clunk? They did pass the MOT in June however. What about the other front suspension bushes?

I would make sure the top of the rear struts are tight to the shell, as that could be a possible cause.  If they were slightly loose, whilst the weight of the car would keep them pressed up against the chassis, as you go over a bump they could drop and then thump back up.

Roy